Mammals of North America (Princeton Field Guides) [Paperback]

Roland W. Kays (Author), Don E. Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0691070121 | ISBN-13: 978-0691070124

This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date field guide to the mammals of North America. Written by two leading authorities, no other reference covers all resident species north of Mexico, mammals large and small. With full-color illustrations for every one of the 442 species, Mammals of North America shows the user how to identify any mammal encountered, from mouse to moose, bat to baleen whale, Abert's Squirrel to the Yuma Myotis.

The core of the book consists of 108 color plates featuring exceptionally detailed mammal illustrations. Each species is depicted on these plates, with subspecies, geographic, and sexual variation portrayed whenever relevant. The artwork is supplemented by maps showing present range and by a short paragraph of text highlighting key identification characteristics and relevant aspects of the animal's behavior and ecology. All the artwork, maps, and text for a species are on two facing pages, eliminating the need to flip through the book to learn about an animal. Mammal signs are often more easily found than the animals themselves, so illustrations of tracks and scat are also included.

North America's mammal fauna is one of the best documented in the world, and the authors have scoured the continent's outstanding mammalogy literature to make this book as accurate and up-to-date as possible. Amateur naturalists will appreciate the complete coverage, detailed range maps, and outstanding artwork; professionals will welcome the inclusion of subspecies variation and the illustration of obscure traits crucial in distinguishing some pairs of similar species. This spectacular guide is the definitive one-volume resource on the mammals of a vast and tremendously varied continent.

• 108 color plates with illustrations for all 442 of North America's mammal species north of Mexico
• Subspecies, geographic, and sexual variation depicted when relevant
• Artwork is supplemented on facing pages by range maps and by concise text noting key identification traits and relevant aspects of behavior and ecology
• Tracks and scat illustrated as well
• Well-documented, accurate, and completely up-to-date

Editorial Reviews

Review

Well organized and laid out, and easy to drive, Mammals of North America sets new standards in field guides. A must for any biological traveller to the US or Canada, as well as for residents. . . . [It] is full of those lovely touches only experienced fieldworkers can give. . . . Straightforward range maps accompany a clear and concise text that is nevertheless full of delightful natural history tidbits.
(Adrian Barnett New Scientist )

Review

Mammals of North America is a must for anyone really interested in properly identifying every animal that can be found on our continent. The text superbly highlights every characteristic needed for species identification. The latest range maps, shown on the facing page, confirm whether or not the species you think you have identified can be found where you are seeing your subject. The superb paintings of all the mammals have captured the very essence of the animals.
(Leonard Lee Rue III )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691070121
• ISBN-13: 978-0691070124
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,659,630 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment, February 23, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Mammals of North America (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback)

I'd looked forward to this book for a long time, but now that it's here, I'm not so sure I'm going to get rid of my Burt and Grossenheider. My current favorites among the Rodentia--packrats and grasshopper mice--are painted so badly here as to be unrecognizable, as biologically accurate as Du"rer's rhinoceros but without anything like the artistic interest. What's really disappointing, though, is that with this book available, I can't imagine another mammal guide appearing for years to come.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate, up-to-date, easy to use guide, April 2, 2003

By 

Christopher Byrne (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mammals of North America (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback)

The new guide book by Kays and Wilson is a great resource for identifying the mammals of North America. The old Peterson mammal guide book is badly out of date, both with respect to range and taxonomy. For example, it lists Grizzly Bear and Wolverine as residing in Colorado, when neither species has been sighted in the state in nearly 30 years. The new Kays and Wilson book also places the range map on the same page as the species description, which is MUCH more useful than placing all of the maps collectively in the back of the book (as is done with Peterson). The illustrations are sharp and the descriptions concise; everything that you would want in a field guide. The book also includes supplemental sections on tracks, scat and surface profiles for marine mammals (all of which are missing from the old Peterson mammal book).

21 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A continents answer to mammal identification, March 29, 2003

By 

Kay Fuhrmann (Mr.) (Oldenburg, - Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mammals of North America (Princeton Field Guides) (Paperback)

The long awaited new field guid is out and I was able to get a copy. The first up to date treatment of all 442 North American mammals lies in front of me. I'm involved in mustelid research for the last ten years and when the pre-announcement came out, saying that all relevant subspecies, geographical and sexual variation to be included it was a must for me to get a copy.
I think in a coloured field guide the painted plates are the most important and hence most discussable part of such a book. My mood after carefully checking the guide is a little bit neutral as I don't know if it is well done or a catastrophy due to unbelivable bad "art" included in parts. Two illustrators made a fantastic job. Both have their own differnt stile and I can't decide if one is the better. Todd Zalewski painted the Opossum, Armadillo, Porcupine, Sewellel, Muskrat, Beaver, Marmots and all the squirrel relatives except the Chipmunks as well as the vole-lemming relatives in a briliant, colourfull and sharp art. The impression of the faces of especially the rodents results in indepth studies of these mammals. Great in a word ! Elizabeth McClelland was responsible for Gophers, Pocket Mice, Kangaroo Rats and the Ungulates. Her paintings are less colourfull and less sharp in contrasts but are brilliant due to her exact way of leading the brush when creating fur structure. When looking into the painted eyes you could think her candidates will jump out of the plates emediately. Brilliant ! Her talent is especially shown by some painting of gophers which were painted from a slight forewart angle.
What is strongly influencing the complete result are plates which show the complete opposite. If you are interested in Hares and Rabbits, Pikas, Jumping Mice, Woodrats, Rats and Grasshopper Mice don't buy this book ! A person called Ron Klingner made them. If you remember the film "Braindead" and the Devilmonkey you have an impression of what I'm talking about. One hardly can imagin if this guy ever had something to do with art or natural painting. Sorry, but words are missing. If shrews and moles are your favourit mammals you also should rethink your amazon order. Nancy Halliday sent her candidates either in a body building studio or fed those tiny animals untill fatt roles are visible through the fur. To me proportions also seem to be questionably. However, her chipmunks are better done.
But back to one of the promisses mentioned above and my particular interest im mustelids. It is a shame that for species with a lot of fur variation like the Long-tailed weasel or the Marten there is not much to get from the new guide. Although Martes americana varies from nearly blackish to light yellowish specimens there is only a tiny 4x3 cm drawing of one specimen in one corner of the relevant plate. Not to mention the more than two dozen subspecies of Mustela frenata to be found in North America. In general the carnivore plates are dissappointing although they are better than the Klingner caricatures. I would have wished that "Fisher-Powel" had discussed the artistric interpretation of the carnivores with his wife. In fact it seemed that he did so only concerning his favoured species which is quite well done.
To come to an end: Two artists have made a spectacular good job but I really asked myselfe who is to be made responsible for the inclusion of these desastrous plates by Mr. Ron Klingner who should get back to his work in painting undercups, vases or animal comics.

Kay Fuhrmann